Patty's Treasure Box
by StoryGirl83
Summary: Knowing she wouldn't always be around, Patty Halliwell sets out to make a very special gift for her daughters, one she hopes they will treasure.
1. Prologue

Patty's Treasure Box

Dedicated to JustEs and Primrose_Empath for their help in editing and re-editing this.  
Also to them for liking it enough to write their own special Christmas version: Christmas Treasure  
And dedicated to Melissa who inspired the idea in the first place.

Prologue

The Halliwell Manor was full of laughter as three small children ran around the front room. Patty Halliwell sat on the couch in the middle of the room watching, amused. She looked down at the coffee table in front of her. On it was a small red box and a pad of writing paper.

She looked up as the sound of laughter stopped. After looking behind her, she saw her two daughters sneaking up on the dark-haired boy in front of them. He wasn't moving. "Prue. Piper."

The two girls stopped and looked at her. Piper ran around the couch and climbed up.

Prue looked at the boy in front of her and sighed before joining her sister. "Mommy! Piper froze Andy," she announced as she climbed onto the couch on the other side of her mother.

"I see that," Patty acknowledged. She turned to Piper. "Why did you do that?"

"He's faster, Mommy."

Patty shook her head. "Your powers aren't for that. Go back over there, unfreeze him, and play fair."

Prue and Piper climbed down off the couch. They ran around and Piper waved her hands.

Andy started running again. He stumbled almost at once and stopped. He turned around and looked at Prue and Piper running at him. Confusion was on his face.

Patty shook her head as she watched. Then she felt something kick her from inside. "Oh!"

Three sets of young eyes turned on her. The children ran around the couch to look at Patty, concern in all three sets of eyes.

"Mommy?" Piper asked, worried.

Patty smiled as she looked up. "It's just your baby sister," she told them, her hand on her stomach.

"Mom, I want to feel," Prue told her, climbing back up onto the couch. She reached out her small hand and touched Patty's stomach. She held it there for several seconds before she was rewarded by a kick. Prue grinned up at her mom. "I felt it, Mommy. I felt her bump my hand."

Patty smiled. It was all the encouragement Piper and Andy needed to climb onto the couch, too.

"Me, too, Mommy," Piper cried, grinning. She reached out and put her hand on Patty's stomach.

Andy looked at Patty questioningly. "And me?"

Patty smiled and took Andy's hand. She put it on her stomach next to Piper's.

Prue frowned and put her hand between Andy and Piper's. She squealed in delight as again she felt her baby sister.

Patty smiled. "All right. That's enough, children. I have some things to do."

The three children protested, but they moved away. Patty placed a kiss on Piper's cheek before her younger daughter could go far. She turned the other direction and caught Prue in her arms, placed a kiss on her older daughter's cheek, and let her go.

Andy looked at Prue and Piper. He looked at Patty, somewhat dejected.

Patty laughed and reached out her hands. When Andy moved close to her, again, she reached out and put her hands on his shoulders. She pulled him closer still and placed a kiss on his forehead. "There. That's better. Andy, try and keep these two out of trouble."

Andy straightened up a little and nodded his little head. "Yes, Mrs. Halliwell."

As the three children moved away from her, she put her hand on her stomach. She smiled as her youngest daughter kicked, again. "Hello, Phoebe," she said in a whisper, so as not to be heard by the three children. "We are going to write some letters to your sisters for when you grow up. You've shown me already that I won't always be around. I wish you were more specific, but I rather doubt you control what that premonition showed." She sighed as she picked up the paper. "Besides, Mother is right. We don't need to know when we will die."

Patty curved her hand around her stomach as she felt another kick. "Don't worry, darling. I will write a letter for you, too. I will be waiting until after you are born though."

She thought about the previous Christmas and how happy each of her daughters had been to receive her own present, then looked at the red box sitting next to her. "Phoebe, I'm certain that each of you would love to find your own letter, not your sisters. So I'm going to cast a spell on them and the box. Just like Mother plans on doing with the Book of Shadows, I'm going to cast a spell on the box so that none of you will be able to find this box until after you have received your powers, and I'm going to enchant each of the letters so that it will only appear when its owner opens the box. Don't you think you and your sisters would like that?" A bunch of kicks seemed to tell her that yes, it would.

Patty smiled, "Very, well, then that's what I'll do." She stood with the paper in hand and walked into the other room. She smiled as she sat down at the writing desk, careful of her bulging belly. She got out a pen and began to write. "My Dear, Dear Prue. . ."

* * *

So that's the prologue. The story is complete, so I will post as I get reviews. Also JustEs will be posting "Christmas Treasure" which is a Christmas story based off of this one. It's a great read and varies enough from this one to consider them separate fics. I hope you check it out.


	2. Phoebe

First a thank you to my reviewer:

piperspeanut – Yes, that is the direction I am going. I'm glad you enjoyed the prologue. This first chapter takes place within a couple days of "Thank You For Not Morphing". So when you read it, think early Charmed, early, early Charmed, fourth episode right after Victor's first visit, Andy is alive, and Piper just got her job at Quake, which used to have a different name. Enjoy.

* * *

Chapter One – Phoebe

Phoebe sat in front of the TV, her legs folded under her as she watched the images on the screen. She pushed "Pause" on the remote then stared at the scene. Her hand reached out to touch the face of the woman on the screen.

_I miss you, Mom. Why did you have to die? I needed you, need you still._

She pressed "Rewind" and watched, mesmerized, the images reversed. A smile spread across her lips as she watched a younger version of her older sister Prue dance backward through the room with her new doll.

_Prue had you; Mom; she remembers you. Even Piper was old enough to have some memories of you._

She pushed "Play" and again watched her family laughing, enjoying Christmas.

_Just wish I had some memories of you. I don't even remember that Christmas._

She punched "Pause" again. Apparently, the remote didn't appreciate her punching, because nothing happened. So she gently pushed "Rewind" before letting the video play again. When she saw the image she wanted, she pushed "Pause." Staring at the screen, she noticed something she hadn't noticed before. Standing, she walked over to the screen and examined the image, her eyes growing wide.

Looking around the room, she walked over to where the tree had been in the video then walked to the corner of the room. There she moved the chair that was in her way and pulled up the corner of the carpet to reveal a hole in the floor just big enough to fit her index finger. Surrounding it was a small board cut out like a door.

Reaching down and, putting her finger in the hole, she reached down and pulled up, smiling when the wood gave way. Pulling up the door and setting it aside, she reached into the hole to find a small metal box.

Setting it aside, she put everything back to where it was before bringing the box over to the couch. She sat down, staring at the box in her hands. It was a plain brick red, about two inches deep, three inches wide, and five inches long. It had a small metal hinge and a tiny metal latch.

_What did you put in here, Mom? Did you mean for me to find it?_

Taking a deep breath, she pushed up the latch and opened the lid. At the bottom of the box in stark contrast to the brick-red lining was a small white envelope. Phoebe gasped. On the envelope were two words in the writing she knew well from reading and re-reading her mother's message on the back of the spirit board. Those two words read: "For Phoebe".

Grabbing the envelope, Phoebe tore it open, anxious to see what her mother had left for her. Pulling out the single sheet of rose-colored paper, she unfolded it and could hear her mother's voice saying:

"My Sweet Little Surprise, my dearest Phoebe,

"Never has a surprise been more welcomed than when I learned I was expecting you. I had been told that I couldn't have any more children, then I found out that I was going to have you.

"I wish I could tell you how I found out about you; someday you'll find out on your own. Just know that it was the most magical of moments, one of the most special moments of my life. And when I saw you for the first time, oh, my darling baby girl, you are so beautiful! If you are reading this then you have grown to become an amazing young woman, one who I wish I could get to know, because I know how very proud of you I'd be. You may think that as I write this that I do not know, but believe me, I do.

By now you know that you have the power of premonitions; well, you shared that power with me while you were in my womb, so I know how beautiful and wonderful and good you and your sisters are--that my daughters are the prophesied Charmed Ones! I also know that I'm not going to be around for you as you grow up. But know that no matter what happens, your mother's love will always surround you.

"I love you, my beautiful baby. I will always love you. I do not know what the future holds, but whatever happens, always remember that I do.

(Signed)"All my love,  
Mom"

Tears flowed down Phoebe's cheeks.

_Oh, Mom, I love you, too. I just miss not having had the chance to get to know you._

Holding the letter close to her heart, she leaned back against the back of the couch, her eyes fluttering closed.

_I miss you so much, Mom._

After several minutes Phoebe rose from the couch. Still clutching her letter tightly, she walked over to the TV and ejected the tape before turning off the TV.

With a smile on her face Phoebe headed for her own room, feeling like she was bringing the mother she had never known with her. In her hands were both a video of her mother and a letter from her mother to her, both that she had received all within a few days span. This gift from the past was a treasure beyond words.

* * *

Curious to see which sister gets her letter next? I'll post the next chapter once I have reviews.


	3. Prue

First a thank you to my reviewers:

piperspeanut – As you can tell by the title, it's Prue. To answer your question about Paige, before I told her anything specific about this fic I told my beta for this, Es, that I was writing a story that was six chapters longer, had all four sisters, and spanned about thirty years, so yes, you'll get to see Paige. Glad you enjoyed it and liked Phoebe's letter. I hope you enjoy the other four letters just as much.

crazyhpsfan – Yes, Paige will get a letter. I made sure to include all four sisters. This is one of the only stories I have ever written where it was so precisely planned out and the order written was actually not that important because they were each a tiny story within the story. Enjoy Prue's chapter.

* * *

Chapter Two – Prue

Later that evening, Prue wearily walked through the front door. It had been a long day to begin with and then Andy had shown up. At first she had been glad to see him--visitors were always a welcome distraction from the endless antiques that needed to be catalogued for the upcoming auction.

That is, until he had started in on the questions. They were innocent ones at first, but she could soon tell that he was trying to find out if she had anything to do with a case he was working on, which indeed the Charmed Ones had. Even though he told her that it was not an official visit, it was clear that he felt she knew more than she admitted to knowing and things rapidly slid downhill from there.

Her shoulders slumped dejectedly. Things between her and Andy had become so complicated recently. Life had seemed so much simpler back when they dated in high school, before magic. She almost laughed at the silliness of the thought. _Simple? In high school? Sure. Right. But it was better then -- there were no secrets between us. If only I could just tell him; if only the time was right. But how would he react? What if he can't accept it? I couldn't handle that._

She walked into the front room, half-hoping to find one of her sisters, but was relieved to find it empty and almost turned towards the stairs when a small red box on the coffee table caught her eye, causing her to head for the couch in the center of the room instead. Taking a seat and looking in, she was surprised to find a white envelope with the words "For Prue" written on it. She gasped as she recognized her mother's writing. Gently taking the letter out of the box, she lifted it to her face, smiling at the faint scent of sandalwood that always meant her mother. Closing the box and setting it back on the coffee table, she carefully put her fingernail under the flap and carefully sliding it across, trying to do as little harm to the envelope as possible. Taking out the single sheet of paper, she unfolded it and began to read:

"My Dear, Dear Prue,

"Even now, at age four, you are a wonder; I know you will make me very proud. I know you will be the big sister Piper and Phoebe need, but remember you are their sister. Sometimes it's okay to just be a sister. Love them, hug them, be a friend when they need one.

Prue smiled sadly. _You're right, Mom. I have been their mother a lot more than their sister, even Piper. But I've done it for so long, I'm not sure how not to. I wish you had been here, Mom, so I only would've had to be big sister. Maybe Phoebe and I would ge along better. I'm sure you would've been able to handle her better than I have._

"It is hard to write a letter explaining how I shall feel for you at the time you read it, when you will not read it for many years. As I have put a spell on the chest that held this letter, you will not be able to open it until you have your magic back.

"I have reason to believe that I will not be around when this happens, and if I am not, know that I love you and know that I miss you. I hope I am wrong so I can have a hug and the chance to tell you I love you in person.

"Today, I watched you and Piper play with the neighbor boy, Andy Trudeau. Do you still know him?

Prue smiled, a bit wryly. _Oh, yes, Mom, I still know Andy. I not only know him, I love him. I wonder if you knew that even back then. I wish you were here. I wish I knew how you told Victor that you were a witch. I just wish you were here._

Piper froze him and the poor boy was so confused. In my stomach I felt your baby sister kick. All three of you wanted to feel her when I told you. Soon she will be born and then Mother will be binding your powers. You may not like that, but what we will be doing, what by now we have done is for your own safety and to give you the normal childhood you deserve.

The corner of Prue's lips quirked as the mention of Piper freezing Andy. _Yes, Mom. Piper and I still confuse him, though we have Phoebe to help us with that now._

"Never doubt my love for you. I may not say it enough. I doubt there is such a thing. I want you to know. I love you, Prue.

"(Signed) With Love  
"Mom"

Prue smiled as she smoothed the letter with her hand. She gently traced the word "Mom" with her finger. _A letter from Mom. And even with all the years that have passed since she wrote it, it still is exactly what I need._

Folding the letter back up, she tucked it back into the envelope, careful not to crease the paper or the envelope. She leaned back and closed her eyes. _I miss those days and I miss you so much. Grams did a good job, but we needed you._

Her letter in hand, Prue stood up. Leaving the box on the table, she headed upstairs to her room in order to reread her letter in private.

* * *

So what do you think is going to happen when Piper finds the box? And now it's time for me to go to bed. Merry Christmas, everyone! Enjoy the rest of 2008. I'll check in tomorrow to see if anyone has reviewed.


	4. Piper

First a thank you to my reviewers:

LucyCelticPrincess – I'm sorry to hear that you lost your mom young. I'm glad you enjoy the story and that the idea of letters is something you use for your own children.

lizardmomma – Glad you enjoy the story. I wrote this a while back in like three times, two, something really short. However things happened and it didn't get posted until now. The idea came from a comment at the end of one of my one shots on Altered Charmed (the link can be found on my ff page) where I asked if anyone had any ideas. The idea was that this person, Melissa (whom I dedicated the story to) was trying to write a song fic about Phoebe thinking about the mom she never knew, but she could never find a song to fit. I found a song for her, but I guess she's been busy. I can't write song fics and it kind of evolved into a story about all the girls.

piperspeanut – Sorry to hear you got sick. I totally understand having been sick myself for over a week now. Perfect timing right? That's part of why it took so long to get another chapter up. The Piper freezing Andy, was the scene in the prologue, since that's when Patty wrote Prue and Piper's letters, but yes, I love that episode, too.

After I post this, I'm going straight to updating "Turning the Page of Destiny" and AU I am writing that should have been updated a week or more ago, but I got caught up in this story. Then, I am going to try and get the rest of the next chapter of "Imaginary Fiends (and Real Friends)" onto my computer so that I can send it to my beta. Good news for people reading that, I have somewhere around seven chapters written in my various notebooks, so I just have to get them on the computer and to my beta. If I have time after uploading that chapter to my beta then I am going to see what I can do about the next chapter of "The Demon of Confusion" my current episode in "Charmed: Heritage". I am currently debating with myself about a character I planned to kill off (not in that episode) in a later season . . . I always do this. If I'm debating at this point I don't know where I'll be at by the time I write that episode. This is difficult. Oh and I promised someone I would try and update "Phoebe Is Dead" soon and post "Phoebe's Crime and Conviction" soon, both stories in my "Charmed: Witch Hunts" series. And then there is "One Little Change" but I have to watch the beginning of "Centennial Charmed" several times in order to get the beginning of that story started. It, like IF is a charmed rewrite, but it's an almost complete rewrite, so it's going to be very different. I'm sure that is all stuff you guys wanted to know, so I hope you don't mind my rambling about my stories. I guess I was trying to explain why I am taking so long to post things that are already finished.

* * *

Chapter Three – Piper

The door shut softly behind Piper as she entered the manor after work. She turned around, glaring at it, wishing the door was her boss's head. Then she could slam it just as hard as she could. But, she sighed to herself, she really liked the door and it just wasn't fair to take out her annoyance with her boss on such a nice door.

Ever since she had been hired things had been maddening. She was cooking and she loved that, but her new boss seemed determined to push her over the edge.

She remembered when the owner had shown up soon after she had been hired. He'd informed everyone on duty that he had sold the restaurant. One of the waitresses had confided that she heard he lost it gambling. The new owner planned to rename it, something about distancing the restaurant from its former owner's reputation.

_Quake. Perfect for a restaurant in San Francisco_ Piper had to admit. Now if only a quake would come along and swallow up her new boss, she'd be perfectly happy. Smiling at her own joke, she headed into the living room to see if her sisters were there. The room appeared empty, but something caught her eye. On the coffee table in the middle of the room was a small red box.

Walking over to the couch and sitting down, Piper looked inside, gasping to see a small white envelope lying in stark contrast to the brick red lining, an envelope that had "For Piper" written on it. Surprised, she picked it up then she was even more surprised to see that there was writing on the lining beneath it. "To be opened when the time is right," she read aloud.

She frowned as she tried to puzzle that out. _When is the time right?_ she thought as she closed the lid and put the box back on the table. She opened the envelope and pulled out a single sheet of rose-colored paper. Silently, she read.

"My Dear Little Piper,

"You are aptly named. Though you do not use a pipe, what the piper did with his pipe, you do with food, even at the tender age of three. I can only imagine what you are doing with this talent of yours now.

"Today I watched you play with Prue and her little friend, Andy. You froze him to give the two of you an advantage. By the time you read this you will have gotten your powers back. How strange it must all seem to you. Mother and I have agreed to keep silent about your powers, so you won't wonder growing up. I wish things were different, but you will learn, if you haven't already, that we had our reasons and good ones, to keep you alive, for binding your powers.

"Your baby sister says, 'hello.' She just kicked me in the stomach to make sure I told you. Growing up an only child I don't know what it is like to be the middle child, but I've known some. I hope that you don't feel caught in the middle, too often. There will be times when the few years stretched between your two sisters will seem like an eternity. You may find yourself the only one who understands both sides. You may also find yourself ready to hit them both over the head and lock them out of the house. Don't let them cause you too much trouble and please, keep them from killing each other.

Piper smiled to herself. Keeping Prue and Phoebe from killing each other had indeed been her role in the family. She hoped her mother was proud that she had succeeded. After all, had either of them succeeded, there would be no Charmed Ones.

"I remember when I found out you had my power. I was so excited. It does a mother proud to see her daughter taking after her. You are a beautiful girl and I know you will become a beautiful young lady.

Piper's smile grew larger. Of course she knew her mother had had her power, but she never thought of her mother being proud of that fact. She hoped that she took after mother in every way possible. Prue hated it when people said that she was like her mother; Piper loved it. Phoebe was never sure what to think.

"It is a unique experience being pregnant with a witch whose powers are so different from yours, but your baby sister has shown me that your future shall eventually not include me. I don't know how long or even if it will be before you read this. I just know it is coming. If I am still around, go find me and give me a hug. If not, I love you, Piper.

(Signed)"With all my love,  
Mom"

Piper smiled as she put down the letter. _Oh, Mom. I don't know what Phoebe showed you, but we had so little time with you. I have so few memories of you and Phoebe has none._

She looked at the now empty box on the coffee table. _Might as well do something with this,_ she thought as she picked up the box. Returning the letter to its envelope and the envelope to the box, Piper headed out of the room and carried the box up the stairs. She didn't pause as she reached the second floor and instead headed for the attic.

When she reached the top of the stairs and reached for the doorknob, her hand stilled as she reflected on the fact that until a few weeks ago the door wouldn't budge when she tried to open it.

Piper smiled as she turned the knob. The door opened easily and she stepped into the attic. She looked around and spot a shelf with space on it. Walking over to it, she set down the little red box then took out the envelope. Her letter now clutched in her hand, she walked out of the attic, shutting the door behind her.

* * *

I had a few people ask me if Paige was going to be in this story. The answer is the next chapter is all about Paige. Phoebe, Prue, and now Piper have their letters, but there is another letter to be found. So what is Patty going to write to the daughter she knows not at all.


	5. Paige

First a thank you to my reviewers:

piperspeanut – There certainly were times when Prue and Phoebe wanted to, probably tried to, kill each other, especially after Roger. It was always interesting to see her trying to be the peacemaker between them.

lizardmomma – Thank you.

desi393 – Hey! It's good to see you again. I haven't heard from you in a while. I'm glad that you like the story thus far. The original idea stemmed from a request for a story about Phoebe thinking about Patty, but I just had to keep going after I did that one chapter. You should see the original version, The chapters are in such a scattered order. Patty did have some insight into her daughters, since she wrote these after the events of "That's 70s Episode", but there was so much she didn't know, so much she had to guess at. Hope you enjoy Paige's latter.

I am working on at least four active stories plus this one. I am also working on dozens of future stories. I hope that you continue to read this story though to the end (which is the chapter after this one).

* * *

Chapter Four – Paige

It wasn't until years later that anyone thought of that box. With the three letters securely within the possession of the addressees, none of the sisters thought of the box they had arrived in.

On this particular day, Paige was up in the attic watching her two little nephews. Wyatt was two-and-a-half going on one hundred, a solemn little child who was just starting to talk again after a demon had pulled him into a shell where he talked only to the demon. His brother, Chris, had just turned one, a watchful child still learning the basics of walking and talking.

Chris was standing in his playpen trying to carry on a conversation with his brother in a language decidedly not English. Wyatt was watching him curiously and quietly. "Cwis," Wyatt announced at Paige.

Paige was working on potions. She knew it was only a matter of time before they were forced into a showdown with Zankou and she wanted to be ready when they did. She looked up and smiled at her young nephew. "Yes, Wyatt. That's Chris."

Satisfied, Wyatt toddled across the room to a pile of blocks. He sat down and begun building.

Paige looked at her potions and sighed. Potions hadn't worked on the Source and she doubted they would work with Zankou. Still anything was better than doing nothing.

She started wandering around the room, looking for new ingredients. She stopped in front of one of the shelves laden down with completed potions, thinking maybe one of them would give her ideas for her latest mixture.

That's when she saw it.

In the center of the shelf was a small brick-red box. With a frown on her lips, she picked it up. It looked so completely out of place. The frown still in place, she lifted the lid to find it empty. Disappointed, she began to close it when she noticed the writing on the bottom lining. "To be opened when the time is right," she read quietly. She pursed her lips. "Well, is this all there is, an empty box? And when is the time right?"

Reaching in, she touched the inside of the box, feeling for something, a reason for the words in an empty box. After a few seconds she removed her hand. She was about to close the lid when she noticed something appearing at the bottom of the box. After a few seconds she removed her hand and was about to close the lid yet again when she noticed something appearing at the bottom of the box. At first it seemed to shimmer like a ghost and then it was all there, a small white envelope with one word written across the top.

Her eyes widened as she realized that the word was her name. She picked it up, almost afraid it would disappear. She looked beneath it and noticed the words were gone. _Does that mean now is the right time? It has to be._

Putting the box back on the shelf and crossing to the attic couch, looked across the room at Wyatt and to the playpen at Chris before settling down. Opening the envelope, she pulled out a single sheet of white paper with writing on both sides. Water drops were scattered across the page.

"Dear Paige,

"If you are reading this a lot had changed. Most likely one of your sisters is dead, though I hope that is not the case. I too am dead, for I saw in a premonition from Phoebe my ex-husband's reaction to the presence of my ghost at Piper's wedding and you were not there. I do not know when I die, only that I will never again in this life hold you in my arms.

"I am writing this one-handed while you sleep in my arms. I hardly dare breathe for fear of waking you up. I want to keep you so bad, but I know I can't.

"Your very existence is forbidden and though I believe you will be safe once you are an adult and able to defend yourself, right now you are so small and I wouldn't trust your life to them. Oh, I don't think they will kill you, but you would have nothing that resembles a life and I still would not get to keep you. At least this way you will be raised by someone who loves you.

"You may wonder how it is that I know your name when it is my intention to only ask that your name start with a 'P'. The truth is I have help from one of my ancestors, our ancestors really. I'll just say Phoebe shares her power.

"Not knowing how exactly you came to be part of the family again or when I cannot comment on that. I guess all I can say is that I love you, Paige. I don't know what you look like but I imagine you are a beautiful young woman, my beautiful daughter, though I know you are someone else's first and that hurts, but that is what must be.

"Sam is here. He's your father, though you may never know it, and he is the reason I cannot keep you. Simply because he is a whitelighter, it needn't matter that he is my whitelighter, the fact that he is a whitelighter is what makes your existence forbidden.

"He says we must go, that out time is short. I see Prue behind him, rubbing sleep out of her eyes. I have an idea. I must pause in my writing of this letter.

"It took a few minutes, but I convinced Sam. One momento, a photograph of me and two of my beautiful girls. Sam refused to be in it, so he took it for me. Since your existence must be kept secret I will be casting a spell on it, just as I did with this box and with the family tree. If you want to see it, you will find it in between the last page of the Book of Shadows and the back cover. The spell is at the end of this letter.

"It is so hard to end this letter. It is as if ending it is my final good-bye even though I will have you a few minutes more. I love you, Paige.

(Signed)"With Love From Your First Mother,  
"Patty Halliwell"

On the bottom of the page was a two line spell.

Paige stared at the letter for several minutes in complete silence. _This is so unlike anything I ever expected._ She looked down at the signature, a smile growing on her face. _She didn't try to deny my mom, just stake her own claim._

Paige stood and walked over to the podium holding the Book of Shadows. She turned it to the last page and put the letter down on the Book and looked at the spell.

_It's so short,_ she thought as she looked at it, _to hiding something rare._ She smiled before she began to read it aloud. "What was hidden, we hold so dear; make the picture reappear."

At first all she saw was the ghostly outline of a rectangular object. Then, it formed into a recognizable picture. She picked it up and examined it.

Paige recognized Patty Halliwell, she couldn't really think of her as her mother, sitting down in one of the front room arm chairs. In her arms was a small baby, a few days old at most. Paige had to guess that it was her. Leaning against the chair in a childish pose was Prue. There were many pictures now of her with either Piper or Phoebe, but this was the only picture of her with Prue.

Paige picked up the picture and her letter. With a smile on her lips she closed the Book. She walked away from the podium and looked at her nephews.

Like her, their parents shouldn't have been together, but unlike her parents, theirs had been patient and they had been rewarded. Paige wondered what Piper would have done in Patty's position, if she was forced to give up one or both of her boys, because her relationship with Leo was still forbidden.

Paige was glad for her parents. They had loved her. Even with all the mistakes she made they had loved her still. _I guess I have you to thank for that, Patty. You gave them to me._

Paige smiled as she settled back on the couch to reread her letter and watch her nephews. The potions could wait a few minutes more. Between her and Piper, they already had dozen of kinds. One more read and then she would get back to the potions.

* * *

In case anyone wasn't sure, this takes place approximately between Chris' first birthday in "Death Becomes Them" and "Something Wicca This Way Goes". There is one more chapter. You know what to do if you want to read it. I'm glad you are enjoying, "Patty's Treasure Box".


	6. Epilogue: Afterlife

First a thank you to my reviewers:

Alyssa – Thank you. I'm glad you thought so.

piperspeanut – Yes, Piper would most likely have fought. She and Patty have the same power and both fell for whitelighters, but they do not have the same temperament.

lizardmomma – I'm glad you like it.

angminer – I think that was my favorite part of the chapter, actually was that picture.

LucyCelticPrincess – I'm glad. I thought Paige should have something like that.

WelshCanuck – Glad you like it. Hope you like this chapter as much. I look forward to seeing what you think on my other stories.

desi393 – Thank you.

* * *

Epilogue - Afterlife

Most of the time the dead do not know what is going on with the living, but on that particular day Patty watched as her youngest daughter put away the two items she had hidden away for her. A smile settled on Patty's lips and she went over to where her mother and oldest daughter were talking. "Prue?"

Prue looked over surprised. In death she had gotten a chance to better know her mom, one that in life she hadn't had much chance due to Patty's early death, although she had gotten to know her a lot more than her younger sisters had. She wanted to be with her sisters so much and at times, almost wished that they could be up here with her so they could get to know their mom. It was, perhaps, one of the only things about death that she liked, that and now being married to Andy. "Yes, Mom?"

"Do you remember the letters I put in that little red box?"

"The ones Phoebe found?" Patty nodded. "What about them?"

"Did you know I wrote four?"

Prue looked up in surprise. Then, a smile curled on her lips. "You wrote one for Paige." It had taken a while, but she had gotten used to the idea of another sister, especially because it had helped save the Power of Three--and her sisters. "She found it?"

Patty nodded. "I cast a spell on the box so that only Paige could find it. It also told her how to find a picture of the three of us."

Prue quirked an eyebrow. "The three of us?"

Patty nodded. "Yes, a picture of me with you and Paige. You were so young, I'm not surprised you don't remember."

Prue closed her eyes and thought. She tried to recall back to when she was very little. A vague memory came to mind of seeing Sam before that time at the lake. He had a camera in hand and in her mom's arms was a baby. She couldn't say for sure which baby, but maybe it was Paige. "I think maybe I do."

Patty walked over to Prue and gave her a hug. "My precious daughter."

Prue smiled. "Thanks, Mom."

Patty pulled away and looked at Prue surprised. "For what?"

"For your letters. You don't know how much they meant to us, to Phoebe, to Piper, to me. They were a gift when we really needed them. Thank you for those letters."

Patty smiled. Her mind drifted back to when she wrote those first letters with Phoebe actively kicking for most of the process.

Then, her mind drifted to a few months later when she was writing the letter to Phoebe. The children had been rowdy, but something had made her think of the time when her full-grown daughters from the future had told her that she was pregnant and then getting to meet that baby full grown.

Finally, there was the hardest letter to write. The one to Paige, to the daughter she would never know. Giving Paige up had been one of the hardest things she had ever done. Both she and her mother had been afraid the Elders would rain retribution on her daughters by stripping their powers, but it was the fear of them taking her baby and of them raising her that scared her the most. They had good intentions, but love was not part of their vocabulary. At least Paige had gotten that.

The letters had been her chance to say good-bye, for as it had turned out she had been dead by the time her daughters had read the letters. For all of her daughters they had been a gift. For her two older ones, they were a reminder of their mother's love, but for the two younger ones, it was something neither had received before, a gift of their mother's love.

* * *

I want to thank Es and Primrose, again, for their help in editing this story. I am an Andy fan, so I they let me use their idea about Andy and work it into this chapter.

I highly suggest you check out their Christmas fic based off this one. They got to use mention of a couple characters I didn't, namely Cole and Darryl, because there's all takes place at one time. It should be listed under JustEs. Theirs is enough different from mine that I could enjoy it as a separate fic and not a Christmas remake of mine, especially Paige's letter. If you read it, please review it. They would love to hear what you think.

Thank you for reading this, I hope to hear what you think of the final product. I had fun writing this story. I hope you had as much fun reading it.


End file.
